College Football Defensive Players Who Will Break Out in 2025
Losing an accomplished player will sting any college football team, but the show must go on.
The headline-worthy departures, however, also serve as a potential springboard in the next season. Inevitably, the 2025 campaign will be a breakout year for defenders around the country.
Where exactly should you be looking to find those players? We're giving you a few early ideas.
The choices are subjective but based on a defender's expected role in 2025. Additionally, none of these players had a significant final stat line in any previous season.
LT Overton, DL, Alabama
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If you regularly watched the Crimson Tide in 2024, you probably saw LT Overton making an impact.
From a national perspective, though, he didn't land a noticeable spot on the radar. That can largely be attributed to Overton managing three tackles for loss (two sacks) within his 42 takedowns.
Those numbers may rise in a hurry next season.
Overton, who played his first two years at Texas A&M, has immense untapped upside. At his best, he's a powerful and relentless pass-rusher off the edge with versatility to slide inside.
As long as Bama doesn't limit Overton in a deep rotation at Bandit, his production should soar.
Ricardo Jones, S, Clemson
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On the defensive line, Purdue transfer Will Heldt is a worthy conversation. But since he notched 10 tackles for loss in 2024, he's sort of assembled a breakout year already.
Ricardo Jones, meanwhile, hasn't yet been a starter.
That may change next season as Clemson needs to replace R.J. Mickens, a longtime contributor at safety. There should be even more opportunities for Jones if the Tigers continue using the versatile Khalil Barnes as a slot defender, too.
Jones posted 20 tackles (one sack) and grabbed an interception during his scattered time as a true freshman.
Colton Hood, CB, Colorado
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Colorado is dealing with a, uh, rather substantial void in its secondary this offseason, to say the least.
Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is headed to the NFL. He earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors after yielding just 222 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Focus, with four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
So, hey, no pressure, Colton Hood!
Fortunately for CU, he performed well as redshirt freshman reserve. Hood collected 24 tackles, two picks and six PBUs while working into a steady role as the season progressed.
DJ McKinney should be the best corner on the 2025 defense, but Hood might not be far behind.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Xavier Lucas, CB, Miami
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The name may be familiar because of his controversial transfer situation. Xavier Lucas announced he'd entered the transfer portal, but Wisconsin never submitted his name while alleging Miami had tampered with the freshman cornerback.
Right, wrong or somewhere in between, Lucas ultimately found his way to Coral Gables after withdrawing from Wisconsin, enrolling at Miami and skipping the portal altogether.
So, anyway, back to football.
Lucas snatched an interception in his college debut and yielded a modest 6.8 yards per target, per PFF.
Given how badly Miami's secondary struggled last season, Lucas provides a much-needed boost opposite OJ Frederique Jr., another top-performing true freshman corner from 2024.
Damon Wilson II, EDGE, Missouri
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Had he returned to Georgia, Damon Wilson would have received the same billing—from me, at least.
There is star potential written all over him.
Wilson collected 22 tackles with 5.5 for loss (three sacks), four hurries and two forced fumbles last year. He looked like the next big thing at UGA, which typically boasts a top-tier defense.
After the season, though, he transferred to Missouri. The scenery has changed, but expectations are the same. Wilson figures to command the starting role vacated by Johnny Walker Jr., who paced Mizzou in both tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (9.5) in 2024.
Wilson's contributions may climb substantially as his playing time increases with the Tigers.
Vincent Shavers Jr., LB, Nebraska
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Perhaps a more under-the-radar selection, Vincent Shavers Jr. offered an encouraging preview in bowl season.
Mikai Gbayor and Stefon Thompson both entered the portal in December, which elevated Shavers to a starting role. He responded with six tackles (one sack) and a forced fumble in the Fenway Bowl triumph over Boston College.
Throw in John Bullock exhausting his eligibility, and Shavers has a path to considerable snaps in 2025.
Yes, Javin Wright will return for a seventh season, and Georgia Southern transfer Marques Watson-Trent was the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. Shavers is not suddenly the veteran of the unit.
But it sure is difficult not to be excited about his immediate future.
Boubacar Traore, EDGE, Notre Dame
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The asterisk is a torn ACL sidelined Boubacar Traore after the opening month of the 2024 season.
If his recovery follows the typical timeline, however, he'll be ready for the opener. Notre Dame sure would be thrilled to have him available for that showdown at Miami, too.
Traore, who played sparsely in 2023, surged into a valuable role to begin last season. He posted 11 stops, five tackles for loss (three sacks) and returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown in five appearances for the eventual national runner-up.
It's safe to say the edge-rusher's health will be monitored closely throughout the spring and summer.
But, again, if Traore is ready, he could be a superstar.
Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
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The bad news for Ohio State is the defense has to replace the entire starting group up front.
The good news is replacements like Caden Curry exist.
Among the other highly recruited players ready to step in, Curry is arguably the most promising of them. He held a relatively small rotational role in 2024 yet tallied 22 stops with 3.5 for loss (2.5 sacks) and forced two fumbles for the Buckeyes.
Curry, together with Kenyatta Jackson Jr., has a prime opportunity to surge from a reserve to a standout starter.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
